Guide

Kate Hudson in a relationship with Zach Braff in Wish I Was Here

As someone who has starred in her fair share of romantic comedies, Kate Hudson has had to pucker up to her fair share of hunky leading men, from Matthew McConaughey to Jon Hamm. The 35-year-old actress who is currently co-starring with Zach Braff in Wish I Was Here.

For Hudson choosing to sign on to Wish I Was Here was an easy decision. She and Braff have known each other for years and have searched for the right opportunity to work together.

“Zach has been a friend of mine for many years now,” Hudson says. “When he started to get this project going. I read it and I connected so much to the story and the script. It felt like some of it was a slice out of my own life. It was one of the best things Zach has ever written, and I’ve read pretty much everything that he’s written.

Braff had been a fan of his leading lady for some time.

“When I saw Kate in Almost Famous, my jaw dropped,” he remembers. “I had that excitement you feel when a new giant talent has been discovered. I’ve been trying to work with her ever since.”

Braff also knew that this his comfortable relationship with Hudson would translate to the screen. “We became friends some back years back,” she recalls, “We have fun friendship, and a fun repartee, and it was great to dive into a movie with that already and not have to fake it. I love Kate and she genuinely makes me laugh. I knew that would come across the characters and in the relationship.”

“Sarah is supporting the family. She’s the one with the steady job, and she’s miserable,” Hudson says for her character, “And yet she loves her husband, but she realizes she has been supporting his dream, which is not really happening.

“When you trying to keep things afloat and you’ve got all these plates spinning, the struggle starts to beat you down,” Hudson says of Aidan and Sarah’s relationship. “You don’t have time for each other. You don’t the opportunities to connect like you wish you could. It can be difficult. Sarah backs up and let’s Aidan take the reins to see how he can handle connecting and being fully responsible for the kids. Any parent will find story relatable. This is the real version of a family.”

“I prefer the pace on independent films, like anything, when you’re an actor, momentum is important, you get a little lazy when you’re sitting around the set. When you’re shooting a low budget film, you’re moving really fast. There aren’t a bunch of people waiting in trailers. You don’t have any divas on set,” Hudson comments.

For Hudson, seeing Braff direct Wish I Was Here was especially rewarding, given her closeness to the actor and filmmaker. “I love seeing friend manifest their dreams and desires, especially creatively,” Hudson says. “ When you hear someone talk about what they want to be doing over a period of years, and then you see it happen and you’re a part of it, you do have a sense of pride for your friends. You feel so proud of them.”

“What interesting to me is to see his professional side,” says Hudson. “We definitely do not have a professional relationship, though, creatively we were always connected. Watching him in action has been inspiring to me.”

Wish I Was Here will be released and distributed by CAPTIVE CINEMA. It will be shown in cinemas nationwide starting September 17.